Mango Coconut Chai Smoothie

Mango-Coconut-Chai Smoothie

This lovely bright yellow (thanks to the superfood, turmeric) Mango Coconut Chai Smoothie is just the thing if you are looking for a bit of sunshine in a gloomy morning-- or even a way to celebrate a gloriously sunny morning!  And, of course, this is a super-healthy smoothie!  The phytochemicals and vitamins in the fruits, the medium-chain essential acids in the coconut, and the antioxidants in the spicy chai add up to a powerful start to your day!  It doesn't hurt, either, that this smoothie is one of the most delicious ones you'll ever drink!

Chai tea is an ayurvedic drink traditionally made with milk (vegan milks work fine) and some combination of black, oolong, or green tea, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and/or fennel.  At the very least, chai is found to be a great drink for the digestion, and recently scientific research is suggesting that chai is high in antioxidants and as such, is offering yet another tasty, healthy preventative for cancer.*

If you are planning to try this smoothie in the morning, pop an ice cube tray of cooled chai tea into your freezer to freeze overnight.  You can also just opt to use individual herbs, such as fresh-grated ginger and a couple of cloves ground up in your coffee bean grinder.  You might even just try 1 - 3 drops of a therapeutic essential oil, such as cinnamon bark, clove or cardamom. (Caution: use only oils that are designated safe for human consumption, that have not been processed to include harmful solvents and other chemicals, and that do not contain the disclaimer that they are only for "external use".)

METHOD:

Put the following into the carafe of your blender:

• 1 Banana, chunked
• 1 C. Frozen Mango
• 1/2 C. Coconut Shreds (unsweetened)
• 1 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 3-4 Chai Tea Ice Cubes, or desired Chai herbs and spices as mentioned above
• 2 - 4 C. Coconut Dream or other vegan mylk
• 1 packet "Sweet Leaf" or other natural sweetener (optional)

Spin up and enjoy your healthy, sparky start to the day!

Smoothie of the Week: Tutti-Frutti Orange Cream Smoothie

Orange Smoothie - from Pinterest

Oh yum, oh healthy yum-- here's my morning smoothie recipe today-- using the 'new' Superfoods, hemp and chia seed:

Tutti-Frutti Orange Creme Smoothie:
Put the following in your Vitamix or other strong blender:
*2 T. Hempseed Protein
*2 T. Chia seed Gel*
*Filtered Water to soak Protein
*1 Ripe Organic Banana
*5 Pitted Medjool Dates
*2 Organic Oranges, peeled & pipped
*2 T. unsweetened organic coconut flakes
*Small piece of organic orange peel (washed) (optional)
*1 very ripe Avocado (optional)
*1 small organic Apple, chopped and seeded
*Water (2-3 Cups or more-- as you like)

*Process and enjoy!!! This will satisfy your hunger and thirst, provide you with ample fibre, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and assorted whole food vitamin and minerals... for added minerals you could add a 1/4 teaspoon of kelp flakes.

*to make Chiaseed Gel, place 1/4 Cup of whole chiaseeds in a quart mason jar and add water to the top. Stir until the seeds are dispersed. Let absorb the water for at least 15- 20 minutes. Stir again. Put on lid and keep in the fridge to use with other recipes. Provides a high source of protein (4 gm in an ounce), fibre, calcium, magnesium, and more Omega3's than any other plant source, including flax seed. Use the "whole seeds" and not milled seeds. There is some indication that milled seeds lack the nutrients.

This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions.

Smoothie of the Week: Lemon-Blueberry Bliss

        

This smoothie is so tasty and SOOO healthy-- I was looking for something with a little zing (lemons!), antioxidants (blueberries!), energy, protein, and omega3s ('new superfoods':hempseed protein and chia seeds!), but also sweet (stevia drops!). 

This is a winning, thirst-quenching, energy-building, good-feeling-making smoothie. You can add other ingredients if you don't have the ones that I used (eg.,flaxseed for chia seeds) but I would really suggest you try this one if you have the means....

Add to the canister of the blender (I use a VitaMix) the following:
~1-2 Cups Frozen Wild or Organic Blueberries
~1/2 Cup Hempseed Protein
~1/4 Cup Chia Seed Gel*
~1/4 Cup to 1 Cup Fresh squeezed Organic Lemon Juice
~Filtered Water to blend (as much as required) & Stevia drops to sweeten (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)
~1 packet of Stevia sweetener (or sweetener to taste) (optional)
Blend up and drink up and enjoy!

*to make Chiaseed Gel, place 1/4 Cup of whole chiaseeds in a quart mason jar and add water to the top. Stir until the seeds are dispersed. Let absorb the water for at least 15- 20 minutes. Stir again. Put on lid and keep in the fridge to use with other recipes. Provides a high source of protein (4 gm in an ounce), fibre, calcium, magnesium, and more Omega3's than any other plant source, including flax seed. Use the "whole seeds" and not milled seeds. There is some indication that milled seeds lack the nutrients.

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This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions. 

 To your better and better health, 

 ~Cynthia